RICHMOND, Va., Oct. 22, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Atlantic Union Bankshares Corporation (Nasdaq: AUB) today reported net income available to common shareholders of $58.3 million and diluted earnings per common share of $0.74 for its third quarter ended September 30, 2020. Pre-tax pre-provision operating earnings(1) were $78.6 million for the third quarter ended September 30, 2020.
Net income available to common shareholders was $96.1 million and diluted earnings per common share were $1.22 for the nine months ended September 30, 2020. Pre-tax pre-provision operating earnings (1) were $217.3 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2020.
“During the third quarter, Atlantic Union delivered strong financial results and continued to demonstrate the resilience, agility and innovation required to successfully navigate through the challenging economic, credit and interest rate headwinds of COVID-19,” said John C. Asbury, president and chief executive officer of Atlantic Union.
“Operating under the mantra of soundness, profitability and growth – in that order of priority - Atlantic Union continues to be in a strong financial position with ample liquidity and a well-fortified capital base. Our financial performance has and will continue to benefit from the decisive actions the Company has taken to reduce its expense run rate to more closely align with revenue growth pressures driven by the lower for longer interest rate environment. These expense reduction actions include the consolidation of 14 branches in September, or nearly 10% of our branch network.
Looking forward, we believe that Atlantic Union will emerge from the challenges of COVID-19 as a stronger company that is well positioned to generate sustainable, profitable growth and is committed to leveraging the Atlantic Union franchise to build long term value for our shareholders.”
Small Business Administration (“SBA”) Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”)
During 2020, the Company participated in the SBA PPP under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act, which was intended to provide economic relief to small businesses that have been adversely impacted by the COVID-19 global pandemic (“COVID-19”). The Company processed over 11,000 PPP loans, which totaled $1.7 billion with a recorded investment of $1.6 billion as of September 30, 2020, which included unamortized deferred fees of $32.6 million. The loans carry a 1% interest rate.
Expense Reduction Measures
During 2020, the Company undertook several actions, including the consolidation of 14 branches, which was completed in September 2020, to reduce expenses in light of the current and expected operating environment. These actions resulted in expenses during the third quarter of 2020 of approximately $2.6 million, primarily related to lease termination costs and real estate write-downs.
NET INTEREST INCOME
For the third quarter of 2020, net interest income was $137.4 million, an increase from $137.3 million reported in the second quarter of 2020. Net interest income (FTE)(1) was $140.3 million in the third quarter of 2020, an increase of $172,000 from the second quarter of 2020. The third quarter net interest margin decreased 15 basis points to 3.08% from 3.23% in the previous quarter, while the net interest margin (FTE)(1) decreased 15 basis points to 3.14% from 3.29% during the same period. The decreases in the net interest margin and net interest margin (FTE) were principally due to a 31 basis point decrease in the yield on earning assets (FTE)(1) offset by a 16 basis point decrease in cost of funds. The decline in the Company’s earning asset yields was driven by lower loan accretion income, an increase in the earning asset mix of lower yielding investment securities and the impact of lower market interest rates. The cost of funds decline was driven by lower deposit costs and wholesale borrowing costs driven by lower interest rate environment and a favorable funding mix.
ASSET QUALITY
Overview
During the third quarter of 2020, the Company experienced a slight decrease in nonperforming assets (“NPAs”). Past due loan levels as a percentage of total loans held for investment at September 30, 2020 were higher than past due loan levels at June 30, 2020 and lower than past due loan levels at September 30, 2019. The increase in past due loan levels from June 30, 2020 was primarily within the 30-59 days past due category. Net charge-off levels and the provision for loan losses for the third quarter of 2020 decreased from the second quarter of 2020.
Loan Modifications for Borrowers Affected by COVID-19
On March 22, 2020, the five federal bank regulatory agencies and the Conference of State Bank Supervisors issued joint guidance (subsequently revised on April 7, 2020) with respect to loan modifications for borrowers affected by COVID-19 (the “March 22 Joint Guidance”). The March 22 Joint Guidance encourages banks, savings associations, and credit unions to make loan modifications for borrowers affected by COVID-19 and, importantly, assures those financial institutions that they will not (i) receive supervisory criticism for such prudent loan modifications and (ii) be required by examiners to automatically categorize COVID-19-related loan modifications as TDRs. The federal banking regulators have confirmed with the Financial Accounting Standards Board (or FASB) that short-term loan modifications made on a good faith basis in response to COVID-19 to borrowers who were current (i.e., less than 30 days past due on contractual payments) when the modification program was implemented are not considered TDRs.
In addition, Section 4013 of the CARES Act provides banks, savings associations, and credit unions with the ability to make loan modifications related to COVID-19 without categorizing the loan as a TDR or conducting the analysis to make the determination, which is intended to streamline the loan modification process. Any such suspension is effective for the term of the loan modification; however, the suspension is only permitted for loan modifications made during the effective period of Section 4013 and only for those loans that were not more than thirty days past due as of December 31, 2019.
The Company has made certain loan modifications pursuant to the March 22 Joint Guidance or Section 4013 of the CARES Act and as of September 30, 2020 approximately $769.6 million remain under their modified terms, a decline of $831.3 million as compared to June 30, 2020. The majority of the Company’s modifications as of September 30, 2020 were in the commercial real estate portfolios.
Nonperforming Assets
At September 30, 2020, NPAs totaled $43.2 million, a decrease of $839,000 from June 30, 2020. NPAs as a percentage of total outstanding loans at September 30, 2020 were 0.30%, a decrease of 1 basis point from 0.31% at June 30, 2020. Excluding the impact of the PPP loans(1), NPAs as a percentage of total outstanding loans were 0.34%, a decrease of 1 basis point from June 30, 2020.
The Company’s adoption of current expected credit loss (“CECL”) on January 1, 2020 resulted in a change in the accounting and reporting related to purchased credit impaired (“PCI”) loans, which are now defined as purchased credit deteriorated (“PCD”) and evaluated at the loan level instead of being evaluated in pools under PCI accounting. All prior period nonaccrual and past due loan metrics discussed herein have not been restated for CECL accounting and exclude PCI-related loan balances.
Past Due Loans
Past due loans still accruing interest totaled $50.9 million or 0.35% of total loans held for investment at September 30, 2020, compared to $40.5 million or 0.28% of total loans held for investment at June 30, 2020, and $55.1 million or 0.45% of total loans held for investment at September 30, 2019. Excluding the impact of the PPP loans(1), past due loans still accruing interest were 0.40% of total loans held for investment at September 30, 2020, compared to 0.32% of total loans held for investment at June 30, 2020. The increase in past due loans in the third quarter of 2020 as compared to the second quarter was primarily within the 30-59 days past due category and due to increases in past due credit relationships within the owner occupied commercial real estate, commercial & industrial, and residential 1-4 family – consumer portfolios.
Of the total past due loans still accruing interest, $15.6 million or 0.11% of total loans held for investment were loans past due 90 days or more at September 30, 2020, compared to $19.3 million or 0.13% of total loans held for investment at June 30, 2020, and $12.0 million or 0.10% of total loans held for investment at September 30, 2019.
Net Charge-offs
For the third quarter of 2020, net charge-offs were $1.4 million, or 0.04% of total average loans on an annualized basis, compared to $3.3 million, or 0.09%, for the second quarter of 2020, and $7.7 million, or 0.25%, for the third quarter last year. Excluding the impact of the PPP loans(1), net charge-offs were 0.04% of total average loans on an annualized basis, compared to 0.10% for the second quarter of 2020. The majority of net charge-offs in the third quarter of 2020 were related to the third-party consumer loan portfolio.
Provision for Credit Losses
The provision for credit losses for the third quarter of 2020 was $6.6 million, a decrease of $27.6 million compared to the previous quarter and a decrease of $2.5 million compared to the same quarter in 2019. The provision for credit losses for the third quarter of 2020 consisted of $5.6 million in provision for loan losses and $1.0 million in provision for unfunded commitment.
Allowance for Credit Losses (“ACL”)
At September 30, 2020, the ACL was $186.1 million and included an allowance for loan and lease losses (“ALLL”) of $174.1 million and a reserve for unfunded commitments (“RUC”) of $12.0 million. The ACL increased $5.1 million from June 30, 2020, primarily due to the continued economic uncertainty related to COVID-19.
The ALLL increased $4.1 million and the RUC increased $1.0 million from June 30, 2020. The ALLL as a percentage of the total loan portfolio was 1.21% at September 30, 2020 and 1.19% at June 30, 2020. The ACL as percentage of total loans was 1.29% at September 30, 2020 and 1.26% at June 30, 2020. When excluding PPP loans(1), which are 100% guaranteed by the SBA, the ALLL as a percentage of adjusted loans increased 2 basis points to 1.36% from the prior quarter and the ACL as a percentage of adjusted loans increased 4 basis points to 1.46% from the prior quarter. The ratio of the ALLL to nonaccrual loans was 446.2% at September 30, 2020, compared to 429.0% at June 30, 2020.
NONINTEREST INCOME
Noninterest income decreased $1.5 million to $34.4 million for the quarter ended September 30, 2020 from $35.9 million in the prior quarter primarily driven by a $10.3 million gain on sale of investment securities recorded during the second quarter and a decline of $2.3 million in loan-related interest rate swap income due to lower transaction volumes during the third quarter, which were significantly offset by increases in several other non-interest income categories. These positive offsets include an increase in mortgage banking income of $3.1 million primarily due to increased mortgage loan origination volumes due to the current low interest rate environment. In addition, in the third quarter of 2020, $1.7 million in unrealized gains were recognized related to equity method investments that experienced unrealized losses during the second quarter, bank owned life insurance income increased $1.4 million primarily related to death benefit proceeds received during the quarter, and service charges on deposit accounts increased $1.1 million primarily due to higher NSF and overdraft fees.
NONINTEREST EXPENSE
Noninterest expense decreased $9.6 million to $93.2 million for the quarter ended September 30, 2020 from $102.8 million in the prior quarter primarily driven by the recognition of approximately $10.3 million loss on debt extinguishment in the second quarter resulting from the prepayment of approximately $200.0 million in long-term FHLB advances. In addition, during the third quarter of 2020, there was a decline in the FDIC assessment of approximately $1.1 million due to the positive impact of PPP loans on the Company’s assessment rate. Noninterest expense also included approximately $2.6 million in costs related to the Company’s expense reduction plans, including the closure of 14 branches in September, approximately $639,000 in costs related to the Company’s response to COVID-19, and an increase in marketing expenses related to donations made by the Company to support organizations that fight the injustices of inequality and contribute to change in our communities.
INCOME TAXES
The effective tax rate for the three months ended September 30, 2020 was 15.3% compared to 15.2% for the three months ended June 30, 2020.
BALANCE SHEET
At September 30, 2020, total assets were $19.9 billion, an increase of $178.3 million, or approximately 3.6% (annualized), from June 30, 2020, and an increase of $2.5 billion, or approximately 14.3% from September 30, 2019. The increase in assets from the prior quarter was driven by an increase in the Company’s securities portfolio partially offset by a reduction in cash balances while growth from the prior year was primarily a result of both organic and PPP loan growth.
At September 30, 2020, loans held for investment (net of deferred fees and costs) were $14.4 billion, an increase of $74.6 million, or 2.1% (annualized), from June 30, 2020, while average loans increased $401.0 million, or 11.4% (annualized), from the prior quarter. Loans held for investment (net of deferred fees and costs) increased $2.1 billion, or 16.9% from September 30, 2019, while quarterly average loans increased $2.1 billion, or 17.3% from the prior year. Excluding the effects of the PPP(2), loans held for investment (net of deferred fees and costs) increased $475.6 million, or 3.9%, while quarterly average loans increased $480.2 million, or 3.9% from the prior year.
At September 30, 2020, total deposits were $15.6 billion, a slight decrease of $29.0 million, or approximately 0.7% (annualized), from June 30, 2020, while average deposits increased $620.1 million, or 16.5% (annualized), from the prior quarter. Deposits increased $2.5 billion, or 19.4% from September 30, 2019, while quarterly average deposits increased $2.8 billion, or 21.6% from the prior year. The increase in deposits from the prior year was primarily due to the impact of PPP loan related deposits and government stimulus.
On June 9, 2020, the Company issued and sold 6,900,000 depositary shares, each representing a 1/400th ownership interest in a share of the Company’s 6.875% Perpetual Non-Cumulative Preferred Stock, Series A (“Series A Preferred Stock”), par value $10.00 per share of Series A Preferred Stock, with a liquidation preference of $10,000 per share of Series A Preferred Stock. The net proceeds received from the issuance of the Series A Preferred Stock was approximately $166.4 million, after deducting the underwriting discount and other offering expenses payable by the Company. The Series A Preferred Stock is included in Tier 1 capital.
During the third quarter of 2020, the Company declared and paid cash dividends of $0.25 per common share, consistent with the second quarter of 2020 and the third quarter of 2019. During the third quarter of 2020, the Board also declared and paid a quarterly dividend on the outstanding shares of Series A Preferred Stock of $156.60 per share (equivalent to $0.39 per outstanding depositary share). On July 10, 2019, the Company announced that its Board of Directors had authorized a share repurchase program (effective July 8, 2019) to purchase up to $150 million of the Company’s common stock through June 30, 2021 in open market transactions or privately negotiated transactions. On March 20, 2020, the Company suspended its share repurchase program, which had $20 million remaining in the authorization when it was suspended. The Company repurchased an aggregate of approximately 3.7 million shares, at an average price of $35.48 per share, under the authorization prior to the suspension.
ABOUT ATLANTIC UNION BANKSHARES CORPORATION
Headquartered in Richmond, Virginia, Atlantic Union Bankshares Corporation (Nasdaq: AUB) is the holding company for Atlantic Union Bank. Atlantic Union Bank has 135 branches and approximately 155 ATMs located throughout Virginia, and in portions of Maryland and North Carolina. Middleburg Financial is a brand name used by Atlantic Union Bank and certain affiliates when providing trust, wealth management, private banking, and investment advisory products and services. Certain non-bank affiliates of Atlantic Union Bank include: Old Dominion Capital Management, Inc., and its subsidiary, Outfitter Advisors, Ltd., and Dixon, Hubard, Feinour, & Brown, Inc., which provide investment advisory services; Middleburg Investment Services, LLC, which provides brokerage services; and Union Insurance Group, LLC, which offers various lines of insurance products.
